


Til There Was You

by Dand3l1on



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 03:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6406270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dand3l1on/pseuds/Dand3l1on
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the Order of the Phoenix. Unfolds the story of Lupin and Tonks falling in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Til There Was You

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. Harry Potter series and it's characters are from the great mind of JK Rowling.

Remus Lupin tidied his small, studio apartment. It wasn't much, but he could afford it on his own. 

He was due at headquarters very soon. The old clock on the wall gave him five minutes, just enough time to put things where they belong. He flicked his wand toward the dishes, only to remember he hadn't actually eaten lunch that day. But the sponge didn't notice or care, so it began scrubbing the sink. Remus sent a counter jinx, and the sponge plopped into the basin, a few suds splashing onto the counter. 

With an impatient sigh, he refolded that morning's edition of The Daily Prophet and set it neatly on the kitchen counter. He whispered a few spells, which lit his bedside lantern. It was dim, but it cast enough light around the singular room to be warm and cozy. He hated coming home to complete darkness.

He ducked into the uncomfortably small bathroom. He combed his hair again, checked his teeth for chocolate, and straightened his shirt. 

The old clock chimed seven. Remus cast a locking spell on the door. He thought hard and 

-pop-

stood in front of number twelve, Grimmauld Place.

He knocked lightly. Molly Weasley made it to the door first. She was hugging him before he realized the door was open. 

“Hello Remus! Bit peaky? Hm? Did you skip lunch again?”

“Hello, Molly.” 

She released him from the tight hug, ushered him inside and shut the door.

“Now, don't go getting too comfortable. We have an errand for you.”

“An errand?”

“Moony! Good to see you. You'll be picking up my cousin.” Sirius beamed down at them from the top of the stairs. 

“And which of the Most Noble House of Black will I be dragging out to this dump?” Remus inquired, albeit sarcastically. 

Sirius grinned as he swaggered down the stairs.

Molly rolled her eyes. “Oh you two! We're trying very hard to clean it up, this place. I've got the kids working on the upstairs rooms, and hopefully by the end of summer we'll have worked our way down to the main level.”

Most of what Molly said drifted away into the kitchen with her, leaving Remus in the entry hall with Sirius. 

“It's my cousin, Tonks,” said Sirius. “She's the only relative I like. She's been studying with Mad-Eye. Became an Auror last year. Tonight's her first night with the Order. We need you to bring her here.” Sirius reached in his shirt pocket and held out a small scrap of parchment. “Here's the keys.” 

“Ah, but of course. And where will I find this cousin, Tonks, was it?”

Sirius handed over another scrap of parchment. “Here is the address. Go now, we're waiting for you two before we start the meeting.”

“Right. I'll be back soon.” He gave Sirius a nod and a smile, then turned to leave. 

A loud crash came upstairs, followed by Ginny screaming, then laughter from the twins and Ron, and all that was followed by the large portrait of Mrs. Black screeching about blood traitors. Sirius ran over to close the curtains on the portrait. 

“Shut up! You awful woman! Shut! Up!”

Remus took this as his cue to exit quickly.

\---

“This can't be right.” Remus muttered to himself. He was checking the flat number on the parchment, and then the number on the door in front of him. He had walked straight past this door at first. It was covered with muggle band flyers, bumper stickers, and a movie poster. The heavy bass of The Weird Sisters pounded through the door. A particularly loud electric guitar riff broke through. 

He sighed heavily. Sirius was trying to pull something. He decided it was best to get it over with, and knocked loudly above the music. 

The music stopped abruptly. The door opened a crack, but no face appeared. 

“Sorry ‘bout the music, I'll keep it down.”

The door shut.

Slightly taken aback, Remus knocked again. 

The door opened to the end of the chain, and through the gap a young woman with long brown hair and large, round features stared back at Remus. 

“Hello, I'm Remus Lupin, I was sent to escort you to your cousin's house.”

Her face brightened. “Wotcher Remus! I've heard about you! I'm Tonks.”

The door shut again, but she was only unlocking the chain. Then the door flung wide, revealing the least mousy person he'd ever seen. Pink hair framed a face of delicate features. Remus retained a sense of manners, and tried very hard not to examine her further.  
As Tonks shook his hand, confusion crossed his face. 

“Metamorphmagus. Drives me mum mad.”

“I imagine so.” Remus replied, though he imagined she might drive him mad for different reasons. He cleared his throat. “Shall we be on our way?”

“Ah, of course. Can't miss my first meeting with The Order. I'm pretty excited! Come in and we'll apparate.”

As he looked around the messy flat, he saw more muggle posters plastered across the walls. Tonks cast a locking spell on the door.

“I'm all set.” She was looking him in the eyes, holding out her hand. 

Remus took her hand. Warmth trickled up his arm and spilled over into his stomach. He began analysing this sensation. He certainly wasn't used to people reaching out to touch him. Molly often hugged him, but she hugged everyone. Remus also wasn't usually given the courtesy of eye contact. He realized he had now been standing for a good long moment, holding this woman's hand, staring into her chocolate brown eyes. She broke the awkward silence by squeezing his hand a bit. 

“It's you.”

This caught Remus especially off guard. “What?”

“Well, I certainly can't get us there. I don't even know where I'm going! I'm already a bit clumsy, so who knows where we'd end up.”

He smiled and breathed. He concentrated and 

-pop-

They stumbled slightly to the left outside number eleven. He steadied her, then hastily let go of her hand before he could call himself into question again. He reached into his shirt pocket and withdrew the small bit of parchment. It said: 

The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.

“Right, I need you to read this and memorize what you've read.” 

“Sounds easy enough.” Tonks took the parchment. 

While she read, he discreetly studied her features. 

“I can't read with you inspecting me.”

“Sorry.” He looked away, hoping she wouldn't notice the color rising in his cheeks.

Tonks finished reading, then handed him the parchment. She looked between numbers eleven and thirteen. They slid apart and number twelve emerged. 

“Oo! How nifty!”

\---

Dumbledore sat at the head of the table, nodding silently. Mad-Eye Moody had been droning on about something rather irrelevant for the last five minutes. Remus sensed the whole Order dipping into a torpor, but had no idea how to stop it. Mad-Eye had an unfortunate way of stampeding over anyone who interrupted him. So they all just let him get on with it. 

Apparently, Tonks had endured quite enough. “Is there an end to this, Mad-Eye? I'd like to eat before I fall asleep.” 

“We need to keep security tight!” He replied gruffly.

Dumbledore cut in. “Thank you for that valuable information, Alastor. Now,Nymphadora-”

Tonks blushed and her hair blazed from pink to crimson. “Please, just Tonks.”

“Of course, my apologies. Ms. Tonks, what have you gleaned from your undercover post at number four Privet Drive?”

Arthur Weasley straightened in his chair. “Yes, is Harry alright?”

Tonks smiled. “Well, he looks ok. Bit too thin. Seems to be a bit of a brooding teenager. Dursley is keeping him under close watch. I haven't seen Harry leave his room. But otherwise, he's ok. Y’know, considering. Boy, that woman is a real piece of work-”

Molly scoffed. “That woman can go-”

“Molly,” Arthur spoke gently, resting his hand on hers.

Molly bristled and glared at Arthur. “Don't you ‘Molly’ me. That poor boy goes most of the summer without eating! He shows up on my doorstep the week before school, skin and bones, dark circles under his eyes, slumped shoulders. I don't think anyone realizes how bad it gets for him. He's just a boy, and we're forcing him to do something none of us would sign up to do. I know the last time someone mentioned a “diet" to me, I certainly thought about giving them a bloody nose.” 

Molly had been eyeing everyone equally up to this point, but turned her focus towards Dumbledore. She stood and leaned over the table. 

“Not all of us have abundant food that just appears on our plate. Perhaps it's difficult for those that do enjoy such a luxury to remember what hunger feels like.”

Remus hurt for Molly. Everything she said was valid. But it was an impasse. He decided it was best to gently remind her before she burned a hole in Dumbledore's face with her glare.

“If I may, Molly. All of us want Harry out. But above all, we want him alive. There is magic within his family protecting him that Voldemort can't understand. He is safe there.”

“Is he now?” Molly turned her hostile glare to Remus. He felt his liver melt and his heart stop. She lowered her voice, and the effect was terrifying. “It was my understanding that Harry was kept company by a couple of dementors last week.” Her voice raised abruptly. “I don't call that safe! Do you, Remus? And how about you, Sirius?” 

You could hear a pin drop. Sirius sat, unmoved. His arms were crossed, his gaze rested on the table. Remus was stunned by Molly's ability to peg the room. No one knew what to say. Kingsley shuffled a few papers, Bill ran a hand through his long hair, and Dumbledore sighed. 

Molly pressed on in low, exasperated tones. “I am tired of listening to the outdated logic of an old man. Harry is like a son to me, and I can't stand to watch him suffer anymore. I'll go and get him by myself if I have to! I'd love to give that Petunia a piece of my mind…”

She stood to leave, alarm spreading around the room. 

“Molly, wait!” Tonks was standing now. She held both hands up in surrender. “Please wait. Hear me out. I have a plan.”

Molly turned to face Tonks, and crossed her arms. Remus hoped that Tonks really did have a plan, because Molly was absolutely formidable. 

“Please, have a seat, Molly.” Tonks encouraged. “Can I get you a glass of water?” 

Molly sighed. She nodded, and her lip began to tremble. As she sat back down, Arthur reached out to hold her hand. He placed a quick kiss on her temple, and gave her his handkerchief.

Tonks was crossing the room, making her way to the credenza. She tripped a bit, bumping into an empty chair where Severus Snape occasionally sat. She straightened the chair, then continued on. She spoke while pouring the glass of water. 

“This Dursley is pretty obsessed with his lawn. A keep-up-with-the-neighbours kind of guy. I sent a fake muggle post inviting Dursley and his family to the All-England Best-Kept Suburban Lawn competition. I figured we can either use the window, or our wonderful Harry gets a night off from those wretched people.” Tonks handed Molly the glass of water, and returned to her seat.

“Tonks, you're brilliant,” beamed Sirius.

“Thanks. But there's still the issue of actually getting him out. The only way is by broomstick. He's still got the trace, we can't risk the floo network, and we shouldn't risk putting him on the knight bus. Too many unknowns.” 

Remus was impressed. He hadn't expected this. She'd just seemed so young. 

“So we fly,” Remus said, matter-of-factly. “Surrey is, what, ninety minutes away?”

Tonks nodded. “About, yeah. Longer, if Mad-Eye makes us dodge every suspicious goose, duck, and pigeon.” 

Bill laughed, and the tension in the room eased up. Mad-Eye grunted, but an unmistakable pride turned the corner of his lips.

Dumbledore spoke to the room at large. “Who would be interested in volunteering for a rescue mission for Harry?”

Every hand in the room went up.


End file.
